Beckham tops British list of role models
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-12-28 14:59

England captain David Beckham has topped a list of role models for British teenage boys.

Sporting heroes like footballer David Beckham topped a list of role models for British teenage boys while girls looked to singers and film stars such as Jennifer Lopez, according to a study released Tuesday.

Victoria Beckham, wife of the England captain and a former Spice Girl, is also on the list.

Business leaders such as US technology tycoon Bill Gates and British entrepreneur Richard Branson were also popular, according to the research by Medical Sciences for a unit of Nationwide Building Society.

Of the boys, aged 16-21, 40 percent chose sports stars and 21 percent opted for business leaders.

As for the girls, 35 percent went for musicians and 26 percent chose film stars.

Just nine percent of girls named business figures and five percent opted for sports personalities.

Similarly, only 10 percent of boys singled out musicians and 16 percent cited film stars.

The study asked 1,080 young people aged 16 to 21 last month.

It was conducted for Nationwide's UCB Home Loans.